


A Satyr's Life

by EverGrowingEverChanging



Category: Original Work
Genre: Death, Fantasy, Magic, Modern, Satyr, Slice of Life, War, fae
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-02 16:58:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19445728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverGrowingEverChanging/pseuds/EverGrowingEverChanging
Summary: Settling down doesnt mean giving up on past fun, but sometimes the drive just runs out. And thats where Shika finds herself. Someone who used to go on adventures and escape death at least once a month, is now just living a day to day life with little to no fun or excitement. While having a home is nice, giving up all of her past fun and not replacing them with anything new is kind of giving her a bit of cabin fever.





	1. Same Old Story, Same Situation

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, starting this off to a bit of a slow start. I do hope you guys enjoy this once I get some more chapters out, and I do promise that things will pick up and become more interesting. Got to start somewhere after all.  
> Any questions or suggestions, just please leave a comment. Thank you guys~!

With the sun slowly creeping up from the horizon, the multitude of trees still blocking most of its light, now was probably a good time for a certain Satyr to roll out of bed and get started on dusting and cleaning. Preferably before it gets too hot or the bed gets too comfy and the hours just zoom on by. Sadly, the bed was already starting to feel so pleasantly warm and plush, and the thought of sleeping for a few more hours sounded so good but work needed to be done. The sooner the work is done, the sooner she could just go back to sleep. So with a groggy groan, Shika pushed herself up from her stomach until she was sitting on her knees. Her entire body felt heavy and the temptation to just plop back down was strong but the voice in the back of her head nagged at her to keep going. Just get up, take a shower, grab some food and get to work. Easier said than done, inner voice.

With a strained groan that slowly turned into a sigh, Shika raised her arms up and just stretched them as well as arching her back slightly and creaking her neck a little. Several pops could be heard before another sigh and her body slumped to a more natural position. Glancing over to the side, she took a quick look outside her window and she could just barely see the sun creeping up above the treeline in the distance. Finally, she climbed off of her bed and began to make her way downstairs and over to the bathroom for a much-needed shower, a few yawns slipping out and her legs popping every so often. Her hooves clicked and clacked against the wooden steps and floor, certain spots creaking or groaning under the weight.

Today was 'Dusting Day' ... creative names were never Shika's strong suit, so its a good thing that she doesn't have to name things for a living. Or else every fruit would most likely be named after their color and taste, like Sour Red or Bitter Green.

With the shower completed, Shika made a mental note about heading out to the store later on as she was running rather low on shampoo, among a few other items. When about half of her body was covered in fur, she tended to need more shampoo, at least her bodywash lasted longer though. A towel was left wrapped around her head to help dry her hair, though her antlers got in the way a bit as she had only just recently started to do this method. Still needed some practice to get used to it. Now heading to the other side of her home, she made her way to the kitchen and tossed in some bread in the toaster as she searched through her fridge and cabinets, writing down whatever was getting low and things that she would need more of soon or use daily.

Honestly, she was mostly just stalling as dusting isn't exactly the most 'fun' thing to do. With a small list of items that needed to be bought and the sound of her toaster going off, Shika set the paper on the counter and grabbed the hot bread before stuffing it into her mouth. She munched on the bread as she got her supplies ready; a medical mask to keep the dust out of her lungs, some wash rags, an extendable duster, and best of all a playlists to make this a little more fun. Food eaten, mask on, playlist blasting, and windows open (to help air out the place), Shika started with her room... or well most people wouldnt describe it as a 'room'.

Her home in general wasn't really standard either. She actually lived inside of a rather old great oak tree that was hollowed out with some additions. She does live in the middle of the forest afterall, would be kind of unlikely to just find a home around, well besides cabins but those tend not to have the best track record if the horror genre taught her anything. As soon as anyone (if she ever got any visitors that is) enters her home, they would be greeted by the sight of a rather open floor plan. The living/reading room had a couch facing the left side where a large TV was placed, surrounded by bookcases filled to the brim with books, journals, tomes, and loose papers. On both ends of the bookcases were passageways, one that led to a tunnel she dug out a while ago as an emergency exit as well as some extra storage space, and the other was for the bathroom. As well as where she kept most of her medicine, herbs, and first aid kit. To the right were the kitchen and a small table for her to eat at if she ever made anything larger than just a snack. She didnt make large meals that often, usually preferring to head out and dine out than dine in. Then towards the back was where she slept, though it was actually upstairs in a loft. It was pretty standard though, a bed, a desk, closet, a few more bookshelves, nothing really exciting. There was a window right by her bed that had a windowsill big enough for her to sit on so she could dramatically or solemnly stare out the window on a rainy day though. Under the loft was ample space that she still hadnt really decided what to do with... so for now its where ALL of the books are going so she could dust every shelf and reorganize every book afterward.

Maybe taking a shower before dusting and hard labor wasn't such a good idea. Having to grab and move each and every single book and paper from the multitude of shelves seemed easy and quick at first but as the piles and piles grew, Shika began to slow down a bit. A hot soak later on sounded rather pleasant... maybe with some wine as well. Cant drink wine in the shower... well she could, just not an open glass. It was probably about midday when she had finished her room and all of the shelves... dusting wise, and that still left putting all of the books back, in order, the kitchen, and bathroom. She honestly needed to also clean the tunnel but that was just a job that she kept pushing off.

"Is this a one-person job? Yes, if they were smart and stretched it out over a few days. Am I smart? I dont know, maybe, I keep surprising myself with my own genius and stupidity with each task and question... And I'm talking to myself." Shika groaned and rolled her eyes, huffing as she put away the books one by one.

_I should have gone to magic school like all of the others. Would have been **REALLY** handy right now as well as other times. But nooooooo, I had to be different, I had to go on adventures and see the world, not be stuck in a stuffy room surrounded by prodigies and the rich._

"..."

Shika paused for a moment, her train of thought halting as she gazed at the title of the book she was currently putting away.

_**Magic for the Horned 101** _

Her hand brushed against the title, feeling the indented lettering before she opened it and flipped through the pages for a bit until a stray paper slipped out and fluttered to the ground. She stared at it for a moment, debating if she should climb down the ladder now or later to pick it up. Crinkling her nose, she set the books she was holding down on a shelf for a moment and took a breath in and out. What was a sour look slowly relaxed into a more calm and peaceful one as she focused her gaze on the paper. While she never went to magic school, that didn't stop her from trying to learn on her own in the past.

_Focus on the target of your spell._

She kept her gaze steady on the lone paper on the floor a few feet below her.

_Relax and feel the magic flow through your entire body._

Her breathing slowed slightly, her fur and skin feeling a little tingly as a faint greenish-blue light flowed around her.

_Focus it to your core and like pipes, let it all flow to just your horns and cut off all other passages._

Slowly the light began to gather at her center, around her navel, before fading out and instead encasing her antlers. Her hair and large ears began to float and dance ever so slightly.

_Imagine the item you wish to levitate, being engulfed by your magic, rising. If needed, left her chin as well to help guide it._

Just like her antlers, the piece of paper soon became surrounded by the same colored light. Shika bit her lip and hesitated for a moment, her breath catching in the back of her throat, before she just lurched her head up with force. The paper fluttered and shifted before the light faded from it, leaving the paper in the same spot it landed in. Shika stared at it, lips parted ever slightly and her eyes narrowed just a little. The light slowly faded away more and more until it was all gone and everything was back to the way it was before. Her ears and tail drooped and her lips formed a pout as she just slide down the ladder and begrudgingly snatched the paper up from the floor and just stuffed it into the book.

"What a waste of time. Would have just been a lot faster if I went down the ladder in the first place!" She huffed to really no one.

Back to work for her. She made a mental note that once she was done with the books, she was going out for a drink and a much-needed break.


	2. Into Town

Once the last book was put away Shika let out a tired sigh and slid down the ladder until her hooves hit the ground with a solid 'clack'. Her hair was justled just slightly by the breeze coming through the open windows and Shika glanced over and hummed. It was still daylight, maybe a little too early for a drink but not too late to get at least some shopping done. That and she did enjoy talking a stroll about every so often. With a bump of her hip, she sent the ladder on wheels rolling all the way over before she trotted up her stairs and threw open her closet, shifting through the different clothes for a moment.

_Nothing too fancy for a simple grocery trip... well maybe not today anyway. Not feeling that extra today, maybe next time. Hmmm, the weather is rather nice today though a little on the chilly side with that breeze... Ah!_

Shika gasped, her tail wagging a little, as she pulled out a navy blue penny coat. She hadn't worn it in a rather long time and it just looked adorable. The gold buttons really popped out nicely too. Draping the coat over her arm, she continued searching as she needed more than just a coat... kind of. She ended up with a simple tank top to wear under the coat, since it was rather thick and she didn't have any plans on overheating and it also wasn't winter either, just early Spring. Grabbing a pair of pants her lips pursed slightly since she was more of a skirt or dress kind of gal but these pants did just look so perfect with the penny coat.... With a smile she tossed the clothes onto her bed, tail wagging and ears flicking, before she tossed her robe aside. She could hang that up later.

* * *

Leaves crunched under her hooves as she strolled through the forest, ducking under low hanging branches and stepping around or over roots and large stones until she finally reached a rather large and thick shrub. It was easily taller than Shika though to be fair she was pretty short, under 5 foot, but still. Shika readied herself before she leaped right through the shrub, a faint greenish-blue light sweeping over her from head to toe. Once she exited from the other side, all of her Satyr features were gone. Or to be more exact, Shika had simply used a glamour to disguise herself to blend in a little more. She spat out a leaf that got caught in her mouth before plucking away a few more leaves that clung to her clothes and hair.

Her hooves were now a pair of small black heels, cute but she still preferred the real thing, her large floppy deer ears were now regular human ones, and her nose was no longer a black heart but instead a more human-looking one. All of her freckles were still in place though! Just how she liked it. She did a quick once over before adjusting the strap of her messenger bag and trotted off.

It wasn't very long until she came upon the chainlink fence that was covered in signs telling others that it was dangerous and illegal to enter the forest. Like this was going to stop her though. Not even slowing down her trot, Shika just jumped clear over the fence with about as much grace as a deer though her landing was only a little above a stumble.

_Did anyone see that?!_

Her shoulders were hunched up, legs bent with her knees facing each other, hands gripping her bag, and her head looking around with wide eyes and red cheeks. Not even a pigeon was around. A faint smile found its way on her face and she sighed in relief, slowly relaxing before she walked calming away and towards the little town up ahead. Soon the dirt ground turned into cobblestone and concrete, and Shika actually rather loved the sound her heels made against it.

_Oh! Thats new._

Shika paused before taking several steps back until she was standing right in front of a wall of a pizza place that had the start of a mural. Not much was done but already it was looking rather nice, a bunch of miners working hard in a mine and what looked like a map of the entire area. With hands held behind her back, she just enjoyed the artwork and hardwork that was already put into the piece for a few more moments before she carried on. She could always come back and enjoy it some more later, she needed to get some shopping done.

This area didnt tend to have too many cars around thankfully, so Shika barely had to wait before she could cross and turn left, passing by the Town Hall.

_Must be nice to work right across from a pizza place, dont have to go far for lunch! Hmmm maybe I'll do pizza for dinner tonight... yeah! Hm~ White sauce, fresh basil, garlic, chicken, ham, just thinking about it is making me so hungry!_

Shika actually grinned and bounced on her heels for a brief moment. As she walked, she passed by more and more places, some she had gone to and some she hadnt. A dental office, a Mexican restaurant, hotel, post office, a bar, salon, groomers, a gym, and a bank. There were actually at least three different bars on the same street... as much as she enjoyed a nice drink that still felt a little crowded and overdone to her but eh, she's not the one running the place. Almost to the market though, just have to cross over a bridge!

She paused though and took a peek over the side of the bridge and hummed. Below it was a river several feet wide though she had no idea how deep it was nor did she want to find out. There was quite a lot of greenery around the river as well and she swore she saw something dart into a bush. Oh well, no time to check that out. Pushing away from the edge of the bridge, she walked along it until she finally reached the market area. To her left held a Pharmacy, general market, hardware store, a laundromat, a few locally-owned restaurants, and for some reason a person's home? It was just extra weird as it was surrounded by businesses, and all of the other homes were on the other side. It wasnt even fenced off or anything!

_I swear, one day I will get an answer, even if its something super mundane like the home was built there first and everything else was built around it. I got to know the story to that._

With a shrug and a sigh, Shika just carried on and entered the market, giving a smile and nod to the cashier that greeted her. This was honestly where she got most of her stuff, and while the options were limited as it was a small store, it tended to have just about everything she needed. If she really needed something they didn't have, well there were always other stores just further out. No big issue... well unless she was either really tired or just feeling lazy but eh.

One by one, Shika marked the items off of her lists before pausing once she reached the wines. Looking at the list, wine wasn't anywhere on it... yet. Quickly fishing a pen out of her bag she scribbled down 'Wine' onto the list before moving her cart closer and began to peruse the selection. It wasn't long before Shika was waiting in line with a cart full of everything she needed... and maybe a few extra stuff. She did end up putting back a bottle of wine before it was her turn since she grabbed two earlier. Its just her at the home, no need for two.

When it was her turn, she tried to just zone out the conversation the cashier was having with another one, that is until a certain word caught her ear, actually making it twitch like her real ones would.

"I heard a Fae did it."

"Oh no, really?"

"Yeah. Cursed the poor girl and she's only gotten more and more sick as the days go by."

"Isnt there anything that can be done though?"

"From what I've heard, the family is doing just about everything they can but it seems like real powerful magic is at play. They already have a Hunter out looking for the creature to undo the curse."

Shika just about choked on her own breath, a shiver sent straight down her spine. If she had her fur it would have been puffed up and ruffled. Her mouth dried up and her nose crinkled slightly before she forced herself to look calm. She cleared her throat a little and asked for her receipt as she paid. With a bit of a forced smile, she nodded before scurrying out of the market though her ears were still able to pick up just a little more of their conversation.

"I hope they find the creature and fast!"

"Who knows how long the girl has... or if the curse could spread."

"... I don't think that's how curses work."

"Its a Fae's curse though, they can do just about anything if they wanted to."

Huffing hot air through her nose, Shika stuffed her hands in her pockets and stomped away and out of hearing range. Her nose was scrunched up slightly and her mouth formed a thin flat line. She made sure to kick any and all rocks she happened to walk past... even going out of her way to kick a can against a wall. What was normally a tall but relaxed posture has now shifted into a tight and hunched over one, face rather sour and annoyed.

Tch _A curse huh? Just like how the last one was a Fae curse when really the brat just didn't want to go to school? Oh sure, totally a Fae's fault at this one. Or how about the time that it was a Fae that 'corrupted' the husband into sleeping with another. Yeah, totally a Fae, maybe even a Satyr. No, it cant be that someone is just sick or maybe did something stupid and would rather blame a Fae than accept it themself. No no, can't be that. After all, humans are just soooooooo honest and nice, never blaming things on others. Even IF this is a Fae's doing, doesn't mean it was unprovoked or unwarranted. Besides, most Fae 'curses' are just minor inconveniences or like pranks. it should wear off in no time. I should have bought both wines._

Shika groaned and shook her head, already feeling a small headache forming as she got more and more angry and agitated. Her lips pulled back slightly into a scowl and her pace grew quicker. Sadly, Shika was too distracted to notice the person coming her way until he collided with her. She grunted and lost her balance for a moment but didn't fall over, cant say the same for the guy though. She rubbed her head slightly and stared down at the fallen male, her eyes flashing for a brief moment as all of her anger was coming forward before she reined it in and sighed. Just an accident that was mostly her fault anyway.

She held out her hand for him. He wasn't a kid, nor an adult, probably a teen. Honestly, Shika struggled to tell the more specific age groups but he did look like a teen. Long gangly limbs, shorts that reached just past the knees, a tank top, and what looked like the start of a mustache that just gave Shika a strung urge for it to be shaved off. Yep, this is a teen, her nose caught the strong scent of overused body cologne.

"You alright kid? Didn't break anything, did yah?"

The kid shook his head as he took her hand. With ease, Shika just hauled him up onto his feet before putting her hand back into her pocket. Now that he was standing, it was clear to see that he stood well above her. Must have hit a growth spurt early and his muscles are working on catching up. The kid looked a little stunned for a moment though, probably not expecting Shika to lift him up so easily.

"...N-no, not at all. I'm fine. Sorry for bumping into you, Mam. I was in a bit of a rush."

Shika felt her eye twitch just ever so slightly. She really didn't like being called mam, made her feel old. Also just felt too formal.

"No, I'm sorry, I bumped into you as well... Well I got to get going. Try not to bump into the whole town before you make it back home, kid."

Shika just moved around him and waved goodbye, walking backward a bit before facing the proper way and just sped walked away. That just felt so awkward. Adjusting her bag a little, which was now decently heavy with all of her groceries, Shika made her way out of the town and towards the chainlink fence. The closer she got to the edge of town, the fewer people she saw until finally, the road went from cement to gravel and dirt, and the cobblestone walkways ended and the natural ground began.

And just like before, Shika cleared over the fence in a single bound but botched the landing. The added weight from the groceries caused her to just almost eat it, catching herself with her hands at the last moment. With a groan, she got back up and dusted her hands off, grumbling to herself a bit. There has to be a better way to do this... maybe there is but she really didn't enter town often enough to care to find it. Dusting herself off, Shika just continued on, disappearing into the forest, walking through the brush and leaves until she was sure no one could possibly see her and dropped her glamour. Oh how she missed her hooves and real ears. The antlers she could live without but eh, they were there too.


	3. Meeting the Hunter

Shika was just outside her front door when she paused, an ear perking and twitching when she heard some bushes rustling. Now this was a forest after all, full of many creatures, so a bush rustling wasn't really anything odd. Its just... the thought that a hunter could be around was putting her a little on edge. Enough so that she actually reached into her bag and pulled out a switchblade, flicking her wrist to release the blade as she gripped it tightly in her hand. She waited, not moving or making a sound, just staring at the direction the sound came from. After a few minutes with nothing happening, Shika just sighed and safely put the blade away and just entered her home... making sure to lock the door though and that all of the windows were shut too.

_Well this is just great. If there really is a hunter out and around then I might have to hunker down for a while until it all blows over... Though, if a Fae really DID give a child a curse and if it does cause a death, then this wont ever blow over. I might have to leave this place if that does happen... A child dying to a Fae could cause far more to happen then just one hunter... Every Fae, Yokai, Spirit, and who knows what else would have to leave this forest or worse, fight back._

Shika couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine and the grimace that graced her face. She gripped her arm a little, fur ruffling and tail tucking as more and more _'what ifs'_ filled her head, all leading to bad situations, some far worse than others. Eventually, she just shook her head and yanked out the bottle of wine, practically slamming it down on the counter. She might have a bit of a problem. However, she didn't pour herself a glass nor open the bottle, just gripped it tightly before finally just sighed and slumping in exhaustion. Getting worked up about imaginary problems is quite exhausting.

Setting the bag down, she pulled out the bought items and began to put them away, deciding to just do the rest of the cleaning tomorrow. There was still some sun out and she hadn't really eaten lunch yet though it was well past that now. So once all of the items were put away, she planned on just making a later lunch/early dinner, sit down on the couch and just watch a movie. Maybe have a glass of wine, or maybe just have a soda. Who knows, depends on how she's feeling when the food is done.

The idea alone put a small smile on her face, ears and tail perking up just slightly. Yeah, food, a movie, and something nice to drink sounded lovely. Maybe even open up a window to get a nice breeze and hear the crickets once the sun sets.

However, right as she put the last item away, she heard a trig snapping just outside her door. The sound, while normally quiet, was deafening at the moment. Her ears shot up and she froze, fur puffing up greatly and eyes wide. Slowly she rose up from her crouched position. She stared at the door as she slowly reached her hand over the counter and into her bag before pulling out her blade again. Straight out of an old cartoon Shika began to slowly creep over to her door with long but slow strides. Right when she reached the door she rested her ear against it. While the wood was thick, she could still hear some breathing coming from the other side, yeah, something was out there.

Gripping the handle on the door, Shika gulped and adjusted her hold on her blade before suddenly swinging the door open and brandished her blade, eyes wide but pupils small, ears pulled back and tail thrashing. What she was met with was uh... not what she expected.

There before her was the same kid from earlier, though reasonably spooked. He let out a startled shriek and jumped back, probably a few feet into the air as well, before holding his hand up and repeating 'chill' and 'its cool' and 'please dont kill me I taste bad'. ... Ok.

Shika sighed in both relief and disappointment, shoulders slouching slightly, as she put her blade away. She crossed one arm across her stomach while rubbing her forehead with the other, groaning a little. Suddenly, her eyes widened and a look of terror crossed her face before she just reached out, grabbed a hold of the kid's shirt, and yanked him inside. She quickly shut the door behind her and locked it.

"Are you insane?! You're a human, not even an adult nor armed, and you just enter this forest alone????! Don't you know that the trees move? Not to mention the wolves that live here? Bears? Snakes? Oh sweet moon above, kid, you could have been killed out there! There's a reason the fence is COVERED in signs saying 'Stay Out' and whatever else warnings and laws and whatever. What are you even doing here in the first place???" Shika shouted while waving her arms frantically and paced around in front of him.

He attempted to speak a few times, barely getting a word in as Shika shouted before finally it was his turn.

"Well what are YOU doing here?"

Shika just stared at him, her face saying 'are you serious' before she just gripped his shoulders and spun him around 180 and gestured to the rest of her home.

"I _live_ here."

"O-oh."

"That and I dont follow the same rules you have to. I was here loooooong before that fence that put up."

Crossing her arms she huffed slightly before pinching the bridge of her nose and gave him a tired and slightly annoyed look.

"Look kid, are you gonna tell me why you're here and how you found this place, or should I just knock you out now and drop you off at the other side of the fence? Tick tock kid, its getting late and I would like to have dinner before tomorrow comes."

A look of shock and slight terror crossed the kid's face. He even stepped away from her and brought his arms closer to his chest. Like that would protect him but eh, she really didn't want to use force. But this kid had seen her though, and also found her home, so now she balancing on the edge of a pot full of hot water.

"Well I uh... I followed your foot- ...er hoof prints in the good. After you bumped into me, I wanted to ask you something but you ran off, then I saw how you just cleared that fence like it was nothing."

With a groan, Shika just dragged her hooves over to the couch and slumped into it, holding her face in her hands. Her ears drooped and her tail just laid limply on the couch.

"Well, thats what I get for being extra and lazy at the same time. This is just lovely though. My butt is gonna be on a hunter's wall for sure now. First there's this whole deal with a girl being 'cursed' by a 'Fae', there's also a hunter running around somewhere, and now I have a human in my home, who knows I'm a Fae and knows where I live now! ... Is it too late to change my name?"

As she spoke, Shika just slowly sank more and more into the couch, maybe she wanted it to just swallow her.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on for just a moment. Lets just relax. Thats actually why I came here too. You're a Fae so you must be able to help my friend or maybe at least know how or who could help?"

He slowly approached the couch but stopped a good foot or two away from it. He started off with his hands up that moved each time he said 'whoa' before ending up holding his hands together, like a silent beg.

Shika felt her eye twitch slightly. She slowly pulled her hands away from her face and set them down beside her, pushing herself up and off of the couch until she was standing. Her eyes sharpened, nose scrunching up and lips pulling back into a scowl.

"Ohoho, you got some nerve human. Following _me_ home and then **WANTING** something from _me_? Its clear that you dont know a lot about how Fae work, I mean seriously? Just because I'm a Fae I should just magically know how to undo any and all curses? And besides, how do I know that this is even a curse in the first place and not just a lie your 'friend' made up? Human's lie all the time and then blame it on us. Oh! And another thing, most Fae wont do something without some sort of trade or price. So if you really want me to 'help', you gotta trade for it. Though I wouldn't bother, until that hunter is gone, I'm not leaving this tree."

She slowly stepped closer and closer to him as she spoke before finally just waving it off and backing away. She made a 'shoo' motion with her hand before making her way to the kitchen, might as well try to get started on making food.

"This isn't a lie though! My friend is real and she's REALLY not well. She could die!"

"Then why are you here and not with her? If she really could die, then wouldnt it be better to be with her so she doesn't die alone?"

"Because I have to try to do something to help her! Thats what friends do. And I know that she would do the same for me. Come on, there has to be something you can do."

"Next thing you'll tell me is that friendship is magic. Now, leave me alone, I'm trying to make dinner for one here."

"You said you needed a trade right? A price? I got money, her family has money, my necklace, something of value to me? Come on, name something and I'll get it! I'll do anythi-HMPH~!"

Shika was crouched down behind the counter when she suddenly vaulted up and over the counter and to him and slapped a hand over his mouth, her breathing hard and labored.

"Word of advise kid, NEVER finish that sentence around a Fae. You will instantly regret it, like a Monkey's Paw or Genie Wish kind of regret. Cus when you say 'anything', to a Fae that literally means _AAAANNNYYYTTTTHIIINNNNG_."

Slowly she removed her hand from his face and just sighed, hands now on her hips.

"Look kid, even if you got me something like the Sorcerer's Stone, I wouldn't help you. Not when there's a fuuuu- fricken hunter out there."

He just looked perplexed now, scratching the top of his head for a moment.

"Ummm there isn't a hunter. I honestly have no idea why you keep bringing it up, but there is no hunter."

"... Uhhh what? Kid, I literally heard two cashiers talk about how the girl's family hired a hunter. And last I checked, these ears dont lie."

She pointed to her rather large and floppy ears. They looked like she never fully grew into them.

"Yeah, they hired a Hunter, not a hunter."

"Kid, I'm not following."

"Me, they hired me."

"You're a hunter?"

"No! I'm Terrence. Terrence Hunter."

"Oooooooooooh! Wait, why did they hire you? You're just a kid."

"I'm not a kid! I'm 16."

"Thats a kid."

"Not a kid! I can drive... well um, with an adult in the car but still!"

"Still a kid. But seriously, why were you hired? What do you even do?"

"Track. My family and I are pretty good at tracking things. So I was hired to track a Fae."

"You? There's no way a kid could track a Fae."

"I found you."

"... You know I could just punt you like a football from here all the way back to town, right?"

"I do now.... So you gonna help or?"

Throwing her hands up in the air in defeat, Shika just groaned and huffed. Fists clenched, she stomped on over to a shelf and angerly climbed the ladder before shoving over to the side and grabbed a rather thick journal. It honestly should be registered as a lethal weapon. Dropping that on someone's foot would shatter it into dust. With the book in hand, she grumbled under her breath and walked back over to Terrence.

"Fine fine fine, if you shut up about it, I will. Look, I will go to your friend's place and check her over. Oh and if you say one word about what I am or where I live to anyone, I will take your kidney in your sleep."

She threatened before huffing out hot air from her nose. Terrence quickly nodded, sweating slightly and a look of fear on his face. He gave a thumbs up and squeaked out a 'deal'. Shika just stared at him for a while longer before sighing and shaking her head. The sooner they left, the sooner she could eat.

"Come on, lets go. I'll lead us out of here but you lead us to your friend."


	4. Sickness and Health

"Now make sure you stay close or else you might blink and a tree will be right in front of you." Shika warned, glancing back at Terrence as she moved some branches out of the way.

"I uh... I dont think thats how trees work. I mean, aren't trees suppose to be deeply rooted into the gro-ouch!" Terrence was cut off short when a branch just smacked him in the face.

"You alright kid? And just because normal trees dont move, doesnt mean that all trees stay in place."

"... What... what does that even mean????" Terrence asked as he rubbed his now sore face and spat a leaf out.

"Simply put, some trees are just alive in a different way, and they tend to get a little lonely at times. So they might move around when someone isn't looking, getting them lost and disoriented, and next thing they know their feet are turning into roots. You seem smart, so you can probably figure out the rest from there."

Terrence just gulped and shuddered. "Are... are they still alive when uh... when they turn?"

Shika just paused and glanced back at him. "Do you really want to know the answer to that?"

Terrence shook his head, the color draining a little from his face.

"Then dont ask questions if you aren't prepared for the kind of answer you may get."

"..."

"Anyway! Lets keep going, we're almost out." Shika waved him over to keep walking as they walked through the bushes and brush. There wasn't really a dirt path in this part of the forest.

"Wait, if the trees move, then how do _you_ know how to get out or where your home is?" Terrence did his best to keep up with Shika as he stumbled through the forest. While her stride wasn't very long it was certainly fast.

"Simple, the trees move, not the town or my home. Point A and B will always be in the same spot, its just the way of getting there that changes from time to time. That and I just follow the scent of pizza."

The rest of the way through the forest was filled with Terrence asking questions and Shika either answering them or just giving rather vague responses. At first, Shika had a bit of a sour expression, shoulders hunched up slightly and hands stuffed into her pockets. But bit by bit, her posture relaxed some and she even began to talk with her hands too. Sometimes a smile formed as well. Having someone to talk to was kind of nice.

* * *

Shortly before leaving the forest Shika made sure to glamour up, as well as explain to Terrence what she had just done, before he lead her to his friend's home, Min. A large two-story home with a front porch that had a small shoe rack beside the front door. As Terrence stepped up onto the porch, he removed his shoes and put them into the shoe rack with the others before looking at Shika, expecting her to do the same with her heels.

"Uh... these heels arent entirely real. Its a little complicated but if they're attached to me, then they are real, but if I try to 'remove' them, then they just disappear and my hooves are out."

Terrence just squinted his eyes a little, confused, before shaking his head. "Well you cant go in with them! Their house is fully carpeted and its white. Her parents would kill me if any dirt or mud was tracked inside."

Shika just shuddered and grimaced. A white carpet, oof. "Well what do you want me to do? And besides, I cant just walk in there, I'm a stranger to these people. What are you gonna tell them?" Shika was whisper shouting at this point, waving her arms around a little.

"I thought you had an idea."

"Do I look like someone who has ideas?"

"Well-"

"Dont you dare answer that."

"I thought you said to not ask questions if you weren't ready for the kind of answer you would get?"

"... You know, I cant tell if I hate you or like you right now."

"I think I have an idea. I'll just lie to them and say that you're a Fae expert."

"You? Lie to them? Kid, come on. They're gonna see right through that. And even if they somehow believe it, I still cant take my heels off."

"Well I dont see you coming up with any ideas."

Shika just growled, eyes narrowed and nose scrunched up before a thought popped into her head. She glanced up and saw a window as the gears in her head turned.

"... Say, what floor is uh... Min? Min. Min resting on?"

"Uhhh upstairs? Why? Wait! You aren-"

"I am, Kid. Its simple, you go inside and check on Min, open a window for me and I'll climb on in. Totally creepy and illegal but eh, its the best idea I got."

"But your hee-"

"Forget about it! Look, I'll make sure to wipe them extra well before they hit the carpet... or you could just grab a towel or something for me to step on. Now go, tick tock kid, I'm getting hungry and the sun is going down." Shika ushered Terrence closer to the front door before she dipped out of there.

She was able to hear the door open and Terrence greeting "Mr. and Ms. Leung" before the door was shut. As she waited, she couldn't help but really question why she was going along with this. Arms crossed and back pressed against the side of the home.

_I still have to do something about that kid knowing where my home is. I mean, he seems like a nice kid but... but that would mean putting trust in him to not rat me out to the town. And thats just one issue! There's also the whole issue with Min. I mean, I'm still not too sure that this really is a curse... though I guess I'll be finding that out in just a moment... but then what? How am I supposed to fix this? Why do I have to in the first place, its not even my problem... Can I even do anything?_

"Shika!" Terrence whisper shouted out to her from the open window above her.

Glancing up, Shika sighed and nodded before pushing off of the wall and jumped straight from the ground and grabbed onto the window ledge. Even when they looked like human legs, they were still just as powerful as her deer ones, just less warm. With a grunt, she pulled herself up and stumbled into the room. Standing up she dusted herself off and noticed the towel below.

"Nice. Alright, you make sure the parents dont enter the room and I'll see what I can do." Looking around the room, Shika hummed softly before glancing over at the bed where Min laid. The sight alone made her eyes soften and her lips formed a frown. Her stomach felt like a pit and she gulped down her breath that became stuck in her throat. 

The room did not match the owner. There was a shelf that held a few sports trophies and ribbons, a basketball in the corner, several photos of a team posing together, and some other stuff that Shika just glanced over. Meanwhile, Min, looked like a ghost. Skin pale and dripping with sweat, breathing shallow and quick, and from what Terrence has told her Min hasn't been able to move much without getting winded. Everything must have felt like it weighed a ton.

Cautiously, Shika dropped the glamour and approached but jolted and froze when Min began to hack and cough. Eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights, Shika just looked around frantically, not sure what to do. Thankfully, the coughing didn't last long. Once she was close enough the tip of her antlers glowed slightly with a small and faint ball of light that matched her eyes. Seems all of her magic shared that color. She tilted her head, making the antlers slowly point down towards Min. And as they did, the ball of light started to blink and glow a little brighter.

"Ok, now I feel _really_ bad for questioning this"

"Told you I wasn't lying. So, what can you do."

"I dont know. I mean, now I know for sure that this is, in fact, a curse, a powerful one too but there is no real one cure-all for curses. Is there anything you can tell me? Like when it happened, where, what she was doing before it happened, what she saw, heard, anything?"

"Well it happened a few days ago, we were by the river, and Min said something about seeing a raccoon. Then there was this bright light and Min was coughing after that. I helped her home shortly after."

"A raccoon? That can't be right." Shika crossed her arms and crinkled her nose. However, Terrence hadn't lied yet, so maybe... "You sure it was a raccoon that she saw?"

"Well thats what Min said, a raccoon."

"Hmmm, that does sound like an Azeban... but they're tricksters, mostly harmless pranks. This... this isn't a prank at all, harmless or not. And this doesnt seem like something that an Azeban could even do if they wanted to in the first place." Shika explained, looking over Min for another moment. Poor girl wasn't doing too well.

"But its a start, right?"

"Not necessarily. I mean, we cant just go around asking every Fae and mythical creature if they did this... But we also cant do nothing either..." Shika stared at Min for a long moment and then looked around the room once more before sighing. "Terrence, grab Min. Lets go."

"W-wait what?! Where are we going???"

"Back to my home. If Min stays here, she'll only get worse and fast, but at my place, she might have enough time for us to find out what happened and fix it. Now come on, hurry."

"But wouldn't it be easier if you carried her though?"

"... Good point. Grab some spare clothes for her then."

"But what do we tell her parents?"

"... Maybe if I dont think about it, the problem will fix itself?"

Terrence just narrowed his eyes and shook his head, arms crossed.

"Ok fine... How much do her parents like and trust you?"

"Uhhhh somewhat?"

"Eesh... tell them the truth then. I mean, if we dont tell them then they might have a heart attack. But if we do tell them then... then at least they'll know whats going on? I dont know kid." Carefully, Shika maneuvered Min until she was carrying her piggyback style. Shika could just immediately feel the heat that was coming off of her, poor girl was overeating. Meanwhile, Terrence was scrambling a little, grabbing some fresh clothes before he left the room to tell the parents. Honestly not wanting to wait around for the after math, Shika just jumped straight out of the window and struggled to not eat it when she landed.

Just a few moments later, she saw Terrence burst out from the front door, grabbing his shoes and struggling to put them on as he ran. The parents behind him, clearly mad and screaming.

"Just run!"

"Dont have to tell me twice, kid."

The two just bolted before quickly turning a corner and hiding for a moment. Hearts pounding and lungs burning a little. Ok, that was terrifying, never doing that again.

"This will go by faster if you get on my back and hold Min steady."

"Wait what?!"

"Relax, it'll make sense in a moment."

Just like with her glamour, a light of magic swept over her from head to hoof but this time, her form actually shifted until she looked like a full deer. This was no illusion either and thankfully her vocals still worked just fine like this.

"You can stare later. Just get on and hold on tight." She ordered.

Carefully, Terrence climbed onto Shika's back and held Min steady. Shika paused for a moment before she bolted, galloping off and straight to the woods. She was easily much faster in this form as well as having a little more balance and control since she cleared over the fence without stumbling... this time.

"So whats the plan again?!"

"We get Min to my home and I'll use some of my stuff to try to keep the curse from getting worse while we go out and try to find who did this. You said it was by a river, right?"

"Yeah, the one under the bridge that leads to the market."

"You know, I didn't plan on doing this much backtracking today. And what are we gonna do about the parents?"

"I HAVE NO IDEA! That was probably the most terrifying thing ever... no wait, second most terrifying thing."

"Second? What was the first?"

"... I came home far past my curfew one night, without a phone call and my mom... my mom was waiting for me in the living room."

"... Why did I get the chills from that????"

* * *

The group made it back to Shika's home much quicker this way though Shika was a little tired and complained about being hungry. Still, she lowered herself to make it easier for Terrence to step off and semi carry Min over to the front door. Slow, Shika shifted back onto two legs and followed inside, carrying Min the rest of the way and set her on her own bed.

"Alright, the agrimony will help but kid, I need you to go outside and get some more and put them in a vase to rest near Min."

"... How about you just describe what it looks like."

"... Its a plant. It had a tall green stem with many small yellow flowers on it, usually five petals. There's some just outside the door. I'll get some cinquefoil to burn... another plant." Shika explained before she scurried off.

By the time Terrence came back with the plant in a vase, Shika was back as well with a few incense burners. The vase was placed right beside the bed and the burners by the open window.

"So what does all of this do exactly?"

"Simple. The agrimony helps banish and deflect bad magic, so it should weaken the curse. And the cinquefoil, when burned, helps protects those from getting cursed or afflicted with other bad magic. So it should keep her safe in her weakened state from anything that might see her as an easy target." Shika explained as she got a bucket of cold water and a cloth.

"And that?"

"... Kid, its just a cold cloth of water. Not everything needs to be magic-based to be helpful. I mean, she is overheating. This should do us just fine for now, but come on, we need to head back to that river, and fast."

"Will Min be fine alone though???"

"Yes, she'll be fine and safe, I promise. We wont be gone for long, and the items I've used on the home will keep danger away... for now. Look, the longer we take standing here chatting the longer it will take for us to get back." Shika's expression actually softened a little and she placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a faint squeeze, before pulling it away and waving for him to hurry up.

"Alright... Min, I'll be back, and I'll break this curse, I promise."


	5. He Who Laughs

"So what exactly is an uh... Azeban?" Terrence asked as he sped walked to keep up with Shika, stumbling every so often. This was gonna take some getting used to.

"Simply put, a trickster raccoon spirit. They more or less look exactly like a normal raccoon, maybe bigger, but they naturally blend in pretty well. Though they didn't always look like a raccoon." Shika made sure to hold a low hanging branch out of the way for Terrence before releasing it once he passed.

"Oh? You mean they looked like a human but was cursed to look like a raccoon? Or maybe they looked like a different animal but changed to a raccoon because of the area? Or-"

"Keep asking questions and I wont be able to tell you. I mean, I love the enthusiasm but at least give me a chance to answer." Shika actually had a bit of a grin on her face, even ruffled his hair a bit before nudging him along, gotta keep moving after all.

"O-oh right, sorry. Go on."

"Alright so picture a raccoon and then take away its mask and rings. Thats what they used to look like. Now, how they got their mask and rings, oof, thats uh.. thats a bit of a story."

Terrence's face scrunched up slightly. "Somehow, picturing a raccoon without that stuff just doesn't feel right."

"I know right? Its like seeing a bear with no fur."

"NO! Thats worse!"

Shika just laughed at his reaction before shuddering, the image popping into her head too. Her nose crinkles and ears pulled back. "Thats just not right."

* * *

By the time the two reached the bridge the sun was setting in the distance. The sky filled with bright orange, yellow, and red colors, the air becoming a little more chilly. Shika glanced over at Terrence, noting that he was still only wearing a tank and shorts, making her eyebrow raise slightly.

"You uh... you cold?"

"Nope, I'm perfectly fine. Why? Are you?"

"... I'm just not gonna question this and move on. Anyway! This is actually perfect. While they aren't raccoons, most do tend to mimic the habits and behaviors of one, so with the sun setting, we should be more likely to find one." Shika grabbed onto the edge of the bridge and vaulted herself up and over it, landing with a solid thud below.

"I'm a.... I'm just gonna take the long way down." Terrence gestured over to the slope. It was a good several feet drop and he really did not want to eat it or snap his ankles on the landing. Shika watched as he slowly slid and stepped down the grass slope. She made no move to help or offer a hand, just watched and waited. He was doing just fine though.

Suddenly, Shika heard some nearby rustling, causing her to take her eyes off of Terrence for just a brief moment to look at the direction the sound came from. Then she heard Terrence yelp and then a splash. He was almost to the bottom when something caught his ankle and he stumbled down and landed into the river.

"Oh shit, KID! You ok?!" Shika scrambled over to the spot he fell into the river but thankfully he surfaced just seconds later, completely soaked. He spat and coughed the water out and swam over until Shika just hauled him up and out of the water.

"... I think I might be cold now." He was already gripping his arms, dripping wet from head to toe.

Without even a pause, Shika just removed her coat and draped it over his shoulders. While the coat wasn't big enough to cover his entire torso, it was far better than nothing. Shika was able to hear laughter from nearby and just gestured for Terrence to be quiet and hold still. Her expression was rather sour and sharp now, her stride over to the source of the sound fast and heavy. Suddenly something dark darted out from the bushes but she just stepped on its tail within a heartbeat, trapping it.

With arms crossed and head tilted upward slightly, Shika just huffed out hot air as she stared down at the creature, a raccoon. How convenient. The creature just thrashed about and hissed at her but paused once she dropped the glamour.

"Hey! Whats the big idea, doe?! You can't just out a fellow Fae like that!" The raccoon yelled, suddenly moving to stand upright. Its fur also changed color ever so slightly to a purple. Not a bright purple, but the kind of purple you mistakenly use when you think its a black colored pencil, that kind of purple.

Shika just grinned slightly and bent down at waist until her nose was almost touching his. "I didn't out you, you did that yourself when you spoke~"

"Wait, Shika, how'd you know it wasn't just a raccoon though?"

"You dumb or something kid?! Obviousl- ouch! Hey hey hey! Ease off of the tail, I only got one of those!" The Azeban was cut off when Shika applied a little more pressure to its tail.

"First of all, he has a name. Second of all, you don't get to call him dumb. And third, we have some questions that need answers. So unless you want to see your tail hanging from a chain attached to my hips, I suggest you work with us here." Her voice started off loud and sharp but slowly dipped down bit by bit until it was just above a growl.

Terrence, however, walked over and placed a hand on Shika's shoulder. "Ok ok ok, lets just relax. I dont think we need to uh... go that _far._ Shika, please release his tail."

Shika narrowed her eyes at Terrence for a moment before huffing and shrugging her shoulders. "Fine. Lets play Good Cop Bad Cop. Though I guess you both already know which one I am." Shika lifted her hoof off of the Azeban's tail but before it could dash off, she grabbed it by the scruff. She wagged her finger at it a little and grinned. "Now, I didn't say that you could leave. Why dont you just stay for a while?"

The Azeban squirmed and thrashed about in Shika's strong grip but couldn't get free. Even when it scratched at her wrist, she didn't let go. Though it did sting. "Alright alright! Ask your dang questions!"

"The floor is yours, kid."

"Hey! I thought yous said he has a name?"

"... I could still rip your tail off but fine. TERRENCE, the floor is yours."

Terrence actually reached out and pried Shika's hand off of the Azeban, and this time it didn't try to run off.

"Alright. Lets start with what your name is. Then, do you recognize this girl?" Terrence asked as he pulled out his phone, that had somehow survived the dip into the river, and pulled up a picture of Min. She was spinning a basketball on her finger with the other arm loosely draped over Terrence's shoulder as he took the selfie.

"You seem alright, so you can call me Ahanu. You though!" Ahanu pointed at Shika and sneered. Shika just glared back and flicked her tail. "Dont get to call me anything. Anyway, hmmm yeah, she looked familiar. Wait just a minute! You two aren't accusing me of something, are you? If so, I take back my comment on you being alright."

"No! I'm not accusing you of anything. Its just that... you might have been the last one to see her before she got cursed."

"... I dont know how it works for you humans, but that sounds like you're accusing me here."

"Yeah, kid. I hate to say it but I agree with him. Either say what you mean or dont speak at all."

Ahanu nodded before holding his paw(?) out in a fist, which Shika shrugged at before bumping it with her own fist. Only to get a jolt of electricity. Ahanu just busted into laughter and hisses, holding his stomach and pointing at Shika, who's hair and fur was all sticking straight up. She had this stunned look on her face, eyes wide and blinking, before she ran a hand through her hair and forced it back down.

"Ok, thats it. Good Cop is over, time for Bad Cop." Shika snarled, pounding her fist into her hand.

"You'll have to catch me first!" He shouted before scurrying off.

Shika tried to chase after him but tripped and fell.

"Ha! Tied your shoelaces together."

"W-what?! How? I dont even have feet."

The Azeban just laughed and wheezed, making Shika's face practically glow red. Was it from anger or embarrassment? Both. Her fur had ruffled up, her ears and tail thrashing and twitched, and her nose flared and huffing.

"Ohoho, I am so gonna enjoy ripping that tail off of you."

"We dont have time for this, Min is sick and getting worse, she could die if we dont quite this and find a solution!" Terrence shouted, mostly at Shika though.

"... Wait, die? Now hold on for just a minute." Ahanu walked back over to Terrence with an actual serious look on his face and hand(?) on his hips. "Whats all this talk about sick and dying?"

"Well you see Min isn't well. It started shortly after she ran into you actually. And after that, she just got worse and worse, now she cant even get out of bed herself and nothing has worked, she's just been getting worse and worse."

Slowly, Shika's angry melted away and she frowned, ears drooping and tail tucking. She pushed herself up from the ground and dusted herself a little. She had momentarily forgotten why she was here in the first place. As Terrence spoke, his voice got softer and softer, cracking here and there, and his eyes watered up slightly.

"Oh ki-... er... Terrence. I'm really sorry to hear that but I dont see what this has to do with me. I mean, I dont... or really, I CANT do that sort of stuff. The worst I can is just temporary pain, nothing close to what you're describing." Ahanu patted Terrence's leg a little, since that was about all her could reach, dragging his tail on the ground a little.

"You were the only lead we had though. And to be honest, I dont think I've ever seen anything close to this being caused by anything that lives in this area. I mean, this was done by something strong, like REALLY strong. And nothing like that lives nearby." Shika added, arms crossed a little. She really had no idea what could have caused this or even how to fix it.

Terrence just slumped and hung his head. "Sorry for bothering you then, Ahanu. Come on Shika, lets go back and take Min back home." Dragging his feet, Terrence turned and began to walk away.

"... W-wait! Could this have caused it?" Ahanu pulled out a small sack and opened it up, showing that there was some sparkling powder at the bottom. "I used this on the girl when I pranked her. I was told that it was like itching and sneezing powder combined plus fart juice. The ultimate prank gag!"

"Ew. And who gave you this stuff in the first place?" Terrence asked, perking up just slightly. Maybe there was still a chance,

Shika reached out to take the bag to get a closer look, but paused for a moment, waiting to see if he told her no. When he didn't, she took the bag. Just like before, she used the same tactic on the powder that she used on Min, and oh man, her antlers lit up so bright it was almost blinding.

Shika stopped the magic and blinked for a moment, spots appearing in her vision. "Ok, seriously, WHO gave you this stuff. This is like... oh sweet moon above, I cant even begin to describe how powerful this stuff is. To put it simply, this is probably the same kind of powder that was used long before even I was around in the last divide."

Upon hearing that, Ahanu gasped and jolted several feet back, his own fur ruffled and a look of terror and disgust on his face. Terrence just looked both disturbed and confused.

"Ok, I'm sure I'm supposed to react about the same, but I'm pretty sure I'm missing context here."

"You are, and I'll explain it later."

"It was about a week or so ago. I was trying to think of some new gags to pull, when this tall dude in a cloak approached me with the stuff. He told me what it did, even proved it on some bystanders. I mean, they ran away itching and sneezing and smelling of farts, so I thought it the same thing... he must have sold me a different bag. But... but why?"

"... A random dude in a cloak came to you, out of nowhere, and conveniently offered you exactly what you wanted when you needed it and you didn't see that as suspicious??? I mean come on, Stranger Danger." Terrence pointed out, waving his arms around slightly.

"... When you put it like that, I uh... I can see why humans fall for Fae traps a lot. We're all just really dumb sometimes."

"Well now that we know what did it, I can make a cure... though that uh... that might be a little difficult to do. I'm gonna need Holly, Cayenne, and Galangal. The hardest thing to get though... oh boy, will be Saws Honey from the Silver Tree."

"The Silver Tree?! Doe, you are crazy! There's no way you'll be able to get it."

"Oh shut up, I'll find a way."

"... Fine. Here then, take this. I did cause this, so here. I was gonna eat them, guess I'll just have to find something else... Terrence, I'm so sorry." Ahanu pulled out some cayenne peppers and handed them to Terrence.

"Thank you... but I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, its Min."

"R-right... Well good luck you two."

"Come on Terrence. I have Holly in the tree, so all that leaves us are the galangal and the saws honey."

"Right... hey, you still have plenty of stuff you need to tell me though!"

Shika picked up Terrence before she jumped up to the bridge and shifted into her full deer form. "Hmmm you're right. I guess I'll finish the first one then. So how the Azeban got their mask and stripes."

Terrence waved goodbye to Ahanu and Shika actually gave him a nod and flick of her ear before she galloped off.

"Its a very old story, so take it with a grain a salt. But there were two blind men and they were trying to get water out from a well. When the first one pulled the bucket up, the Azeban swapped the water out for sand. The second blind guy felt sand instead of water, and called the first one lazy. The Azeban swapped the sand back to water when the first blind guy felt it to check if it was sand or water, and called the second one a liar. They argued and bickered, until they heard laughter. Realizing that they were tricked, they punished the creatures with coals and fire, forever marking it so that everyone would know that the Azeban was a bandit and not to be trusted."

"... Well I might not know all Azebans but Ahanu seems nice. So maybe the story is a lie?"

"Yeah, he does.... Dont try to make friends with every creature out there though, kid. Trust me."


	6. A History Lesson

"So we needed Holly-"

"Which I have plenty at the tree."

"Cayenne that Ahanu gave us, and what else?"

"Galangal, though I've seen some people call it Chinese Ginger, and Saws honey. I know where to get the honey but the ginger, I have no clue."

"Wait, ginger? Min's parents have tons of that stuff!"

"Oh great, we got to go back _there_?!" Shika suddenly skidded to a stop and waved one of her front legs about before groaning. "I mean, you saw what happened when we left! There's no way they'll just hand over the ginger."

"Well what are we supposed to do then?"

"Break in and steal it?"

"Absolutely not! We can not go back until we bring Min back, safe and sound. And not a second sooner. Besides, its bad enough that I snuck you in AND that we basically kidnapped their sick daughter. You want to add breaking and entering and stealing to that list?"

"Look, kid, I'm a Fae. I dont have to follow the Laws of Man."

"Yeah, _you_ dont but I do. Look, I'm sure that we can think of another solution to this. We're adult, we can do this."

"... You're not an adult, you're still a kid."

"I'm not a kid!"

"Well you're not an adult either."

"Can we get back to the point?! We need ginger and honey. You know where to find the honey, right?"

"Yeah, I know where it is... but trust me when I say that getting the ginger is the easy part. The honey is uh... its a trip to say the least."

"Why must you be so vague when you talk? Why cant you ever just be blunt and to the point."

"... The honey is guarded by bees that can change their size, that are also highly aggressive and will not hesitate to kill you and use your corpse as a place for their eggs."

"Aaaaaaaaaand I instantly regret that."

"I'm vague for a reason... most of the time anyway. Anyway, we still need to find a place where we can get the ginger from. Then you can worry about the honey and its killer bees that guard it."

The two finally arrived back at Shika's tree, the sun practically was gone now with the moon rising. The crickets and fireflies were starting to come out, maybe it would be best to push this off until daylight. Shifting back to two legs, Shika more or less yanked Terrence inside and made sure to lock the door behind her.

"Hold on just a minute! Why do _I_ have to worry about the bees?! What about you?" Terrence jabbed a finger at Shika's direction though she was already walking away.

She disappeared into the tunnel so she could snatch some holly and the cayenne peppers before returning and setting them on her counter, along with a pestle and mortar. Shika just gave a shrug as an ear flicked.

"Well I cant get the honey. Out of the two of us, you're the only one who could actually even get close to the honey to get any... well if the bees dont get to you first."

"And why not?! Whats actually stopping you from getting honey? I've seen you jump straight from the ground to the second floor of a house!"

"Oh it has nothing to do with height. I just cant get close to the tree."

"Ok, I know I said that I regretted asking for a more blunt answer, but I really need it now. As in, the full story. Why the bees? Why cant you get close to the tree? What was the 'last divide'?" Terrence edged closer and closer to Shika as he spoke, running a hand through his hair as he was just frustrated and stressed out.

Shika just sighed, her gaze softening slightly before she glanced over to where Min was resting. "Its.... its a very long and heavy story... and it looks like I'll have plenty of time to tell it since we're staying here until day time. Min will last another day, and besides, we wont be able to get either the ginger or honey this late into the day."

Leaving the kitchen, she gestured for Terrence to sit on the couch as she climbed the ladder and skimmed the book titles for a moment before finding the one she wanted. A rather old and thick book too. Plunking it out, she slid down the ladder and sat beside him, flipping to near the end of the book.

"The Last Divide... Humans and Faes have had many many MANY battles, arguments, disputes, that sort of stuff, but only a few actual wars. And the Last Divide was well... the last one. It started and ended long before I was even around, and I've been around for a good while, long enough to see a few of your own wars... kind of wish I never had to but eh, thats another story."

"And what was the cause of this war?"

Shika gave a grimace and shrugged. "Thats uh... thats one of the ugly things about wars. You dont always know. Some wars you do know the cause or at least the final straw anyway. Others, the answer isnt exactly clear. And the worst thing is that whoever is the 'winner' of the war can ultimately decide for themselves who are to blame... and its usually blamed on the losing side. For this one, no one credible really knows who started it or what started it, what was the cause or even the reason. Those things tend to just get lost in the heat of the battle. There are still a few who were around during the war but again, its a little hard to take their word as fact. It happened so long ago, and our own judgment and memory can be altered and swayed to fit whatever narrative we want to tell. But from my own research and the work of others, I have found some details that keep popping up. Something about a group of children and a teacher, possibly a field trip of some sort or maybe an outdoor class, then um... there no longer being any children or teacher."

Shika squirmed in her spot a little, a small shudder climbing down her back and her hand rubbing at the back of her neck. "The um... how, when, and where keeps changing. But the basis is that there were children and a teacher, and then there weren't any. Someone had to be blamed for it, and it was children from both sides, and both sides blamed the other. A lose on both sides, someone had to be at fault. Things started off small and slow. Smear campaigns, assassinations of character, exclusion, stuff like that. Then things slowly escalated. Threats, theft, break-ins, graffiti, smashed windows, you get the idea. Things just got worse and worse for everyone around. Didn't matter who you were, if you were around the are, you were caught in it all. You were either with them or against them, there was no middle ground or even just the outside ground of not wanting to be involved at all. And again, for each and every action there was blame thrown around. No one did anything and yet everyone did something. Granted this was usually how most of the battles and arguments went down. They didnt all get this far, but still plenty did, and it usually ended before anyone got really hurt or any deaths occurred."

"How did most of these end anyway?"

"Usually because everyone got tired and bored of fighting and yelling and just wanted to go back to whatever they were doing before, like eating, sleeping, and drinking. Sometimes there would be a bigger issue that pops up that requires the two parties to work together to handle it. Or other times its the kids who knock some sense into the adults because they dont have as much hate in their blood yet. Still young and open to change and other ideas... for the most part. Also food and booze helped. Two parties yelling and not getting along? Shove their mouths full of food so they cant yell about stuff and have time to actually sit with their thoughts and realize how stupid they're acting. Drink and be merry kind of thing. But for those, its usually only a small number of people causing all of the trouble or were the direct agitators. Get them to calm down and the rest tend to follow. That, and most of the other stuff was just over really dumb and trivial shit."

"But... but this wasn't dumb or trivial... how long did the war last?"

"Far too long. Should have never been a war in the first place. Each side just grew and grew, taking in more groups from the surrounding areas and even reaching out further. More numbers meant a stronger group... but it also meant it was harder to monitor and control the actions of them. Its one thing to watch over ten people to make sure none of them just run in head first and start stuff, its a completely different story when that number is multiplied to a large degree and just keeps growing. And as the numbers grew, so did the size of the 'battlefield'. Towns that had nothing to do with the initial issue were now getting caught up in it with their windows getting smashed and walls graffitied, and it was really only a matter of time before buildings were being burned down. Physical fights were breaking out, weapons made and drawn, people hurt, areas destroyed and abandoned. Everything just got worse and worse because each and every action needed to be punished, which then others saw as an attack unprovoked that needed to be punished. Each side trying to get even or win, each side believing that they are the true victim and need justice with the other side being monsters and need to be punished. A cycle that just keeps going and going, growing and only getting worse."

"How does something like this stop?"

"... When there's no one left alive to keep fighting... Granted this war didnt get that far but it pretty close. Because as things just kept escalated so did the methods of attack and pain. Now, no knows who created it first, who used it first, but it was used by both sides by many, so they're all to blame. There was this powder that was made, the same kind that Min got hit with, and it was meant to bring this war to a quick end. After all, you cant have a war if the other side is completely dead... right? Since it was a powder it was easy to carry and hide, easy to spread and it could travel pretty far and fast. The water or air... and no one was spared. With this kind of weapon you cant really have it disguised between those who are in a direct act of war, and those just caught in it. So anyone and everyone got hit, including children. The ones they were all, supposedly, fighting for, were getting hurt and dying. Numbers were dropping fast on both sides but at least it would all be over soon... not exactly though. Obviously, both sides wanted to find a cure for this, so that when they get hit with it, they wouldnt die so they could keep fighting and living."

"So if a cure is found, then wouldnt that just bring this all to a stalemate? No one is dying or at least they're healing faster than they can die."

"Exactly. So if you're trying to get rid of the other side and they found a cure for your main method of eradicating them, what would the next move be? Make something else or get rid of their source of the cure?"

"Wait! Hold on, is the honey we need the same they used for the cure back then?"

"Yes and no. Its the same honey but um... its not entirely the same."

"... Did... did both sides do something to prevent the others from using it?"

"Close. Both sides could still USE the honey but now it was practically impossible for either side to even GET the honey. Again, no one knows for sure who did it first, but in the end, it led to the same conclusion. The humans turned all of the trees the honey came from silver, and silver burns Fae. And a strong enough source of silver can even hurt and weaken Fae from a distance. So we couldn't even get close or touch the tree without getting hurt or weak. And trust me when I say that the silver is VERY strong. I struggle to even stand when I get near one."

"And the Fae?"

"... We... we modified the bees. Used our magic and tomes to make them larger, more aggressive, long living, their toxins far more deadly, and they could sting more than once... and um... also have a craving for human meat. Granted when the war ended and the powder was no longer in use, the bees ended up eating other kinds of meat but um... yeah, that never should happen."

"So the deadly powder was still in use and neither side could get the honey... most ended up dying?"

"Sadly, yes. There were still some from both sides that risked so much to get the honey but most if not all ended up dying with no honey or not enough for the cure. No justice, no happy endings, just a lot of death. Most of which came from those who had nothing to do with the war in the first place. The 'war' continued on though, the numbers just dropping more and more until finally it came to an end. No was no victor though, just people weak and tired and wanting to go home and grieve and forget that any of this ever happened. Just a bad dream. After all of this, humans and Faes just separated completely, different plains of existence. Neither side wanting to really see the other after everything that had happened. After all, whats the point of winning a war if you cant even live with yourself afterward. The powder was banned, any and all recipes on how to make it were burned and destroyed, the recipe for the cure was saved though just in case, those who were still alive and proven to have used the stuff were killed, those who died had their names written down in all copies that tell the story and at a few other places," Shika flipped to the very end of the book and there were just several pages of names and ages of when they died.

"Sad thing is, we're positive that these arent all of the names. Some more names are still being found to this day... even after all of this time. And finally, the place that all of this happened has been abandoned. No one really goes there, except maybe to pay respect or to try to find more names for remembering. I've tried to go there myself, try to see if I could find some more answers as well... but I couldn't even get close to the area without just feeling sick to my stomach. My whole body just felt so heavy and cold, I felt like I was gonna puke everything out. I tried a few times before getting the message and just left. The air around it is just so heavy and thick, can hardly breathe there as well. Not even weeds grow there."

Shutting the book, Shika set it down and sighed before everything just got quiet. Not a pleasant one either, just a very heavy and thick silence. Both just squirmed and shifted every so often, neither sure what to do with their hands or were to look until finally, Terrence broke the silence.

"Is... is that why you've been doing so much to help?"

"Normally I try to stay out of human business. Dont want to get involved, dont want to end up dead or getting someone else hurt. But when I saw Min... I... I wasn't telling the full truth. I just didn't want to think that... that the powder was back. I didnt want to think that there might be a second war like that... I mean, I wasn't even there nor knew anyone personally who was, but the stories, the names, the land... I dont want anything like that to happen again! I mean, it never should have happened in the first place, never should have gotten as far as it did, that powder never should have existed and yet... and yet it all happened. Its all real and that powder is back! And Min... she's just a kid and..."

"Shika, breathe, just breathe, slow and deep."

At this point, Shika was just shaking and gasping, panting heavily with her tail and ears twitching. Her eyes were wide but pupils so small they were hard to see. She couldnt really feel her hands that well and could barely move her fingers, and there was this ringing in her ears. Terrence's voice just felt so far away and distorted but she gave a faint nod.

Terrence, on the other hand, was feeling very sick to his stomach, like he was either gonna puke or faint... maybe both but he needed to calm Shika down first. Grabbing the blanket that was hanging off of the couch, he draped it over her shoulders before slowly getting up and wobbled over to the kitchen. Some water would be nice, for both of them. When he came back with two glasses of ice water, the TV was on just some random channel. Background noise, that sounded nice.

The two just sat together, sipping their water and just letting the TV run silently. "... I'm sorry, Terrence."

"Did... did I miss something?"

"I'm sorry for not being honest and telling you everything from the start. I... I just really didnt want to even humor the thought that this was real but... but now Min..."

"You dont need to apologize. You told me in the end and... and I can see why you didn't want to. That... that event is just hard to stomach. I dont want to even imagine what it would have been like to live it, see it happen in real time."

"... Terrence, I promise that Min wont be another name to that list, I'll be sure of it." Her grip on the glass tightened slightly and her antlers gained this faint glow to them. "I'll do everything I can. And... and I'll make sure to find the being responsible for this. Not Ahanu, but the one who gave him the powder and I'll make sure that no one else gets hurt from it. This event should NEVER happen again."

"You're not doing this alone though."

"Kid, no. The bees are too dangerous for you."

"And how are you going to get the honey when you cant even get near the tree?"

"... I'll... I'll force myself to."

"Now you're just being dumb. Let me help you with this. Min is my friend and I cant just do nothing... and besides, I know I can help you. We can do this, together."

"... Alright... but if I say its getting too dangerous, you run away. I dont want to have to tell your parents that they lost their child."

"I promise. If you tell me to run away, I will. But only if you at least let me try."

"Deal. You climb the tree and retrieve the honey, I'll deal with the bees. Once the sun is up, we'll go get the ginger and come back here to suit up for the real job. Until then, I'll make us some food... I uh... I hope you dont mind crashing on the couch. Its really too dangerous for you to go out in this forest this late and Min is already using the only bed."

"I'll be fine. ... Hey Shika?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"Please, you shouldn't thank me. I'm just... I'm just doing whats right."

"Yeah well you're still doing something, so thank you."


End file.
